PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAThe Salamanca Arts centre is a makeover of the historic Peacock Jam Factory, today full of working artist, craft and designer studios and galleries. Tricycle consists of a tiny bar and cooking area in the foyer of the Peacock Theatre. Originally servicing theatre-goers, newcomers Megan Quill and Adam James have turned what was an unprepossessing space into a very pleasant, relaxing and enjoyable breakfast, lunch and coffee alternative to what’s generally on offer along the Salamanca strip.
If you like your eggs soft poached, hard boiled, over-easy and greasy and smothered in artificial Hollandaise, don’t go to Tricycle. Scrambled are the only eggs on the menu and they do them superbly: three free-range eggs, folded not stirred, soft and buttery, properly seasoned and served either with crispy bacon or smoked salmon and dill with toasted sour-dough on the side. They also do a wonderful breakfast “trifle” of rolled oats, wheat and rye with poached apricots and yoghurt, eye-catchingly layered into tall glasses. Two other menu items lift Tricycle’s food above the usual, run-of-the-mill cafe fare: a salad of Polish sausage, pinkeyes, pickled cucumber and radish dressed with dill and Dijon mustard, and a delicious beetroot salad with walnuts, green beans, rocket and feta, the flavours and combinations of both inspired by Megan’s Latvian/Lithuanian heritage.
Graeme Phillips, February 2007